Shadow of the past
by Antonio Cabaas
Summary: A space anomaly prompts Captain Antonia "Tony" Castro of the USS Corsair to tell a story from the past...
1. Default Chapter

**Shadow of the Past **

_by Antonio Cabañas_

_**Chapter 1**_

_Disclaimer:_ Star Trek in all its incarnations and all related characters are property of Paramount Pictures. Tony Castro and the USS Corsair were created by me, other adventures of her can be found in my site

_E-mail: _borg31de777yahoo.es.

_Spoilers:_ Star Trek VI, Star Trek: Generations, and to Deep Space Nine season 5.

_Author Note:_ some parts of this story are inspired by "Chekov's Enterprise", a serial story that I read in the net some years ago. I don't remember the name of the author, but that story was one of the reasons because I started to write fanfic.

I wish to thank my beta-reader Carycomix for his help and support

_Answer to Reviewers:_ Please, review!

_Summary:_ An space anomaly prompts captain Tony Castro of the USS Corsair to tell a story of the past.

**_Stardate 50795.0 _**

_**USS Corsair, NCC-1721-C, in patrol of the Romulan Neutral zone**_

Commander Korg Ramirez, first officer of the USS Corsair was leaving of the holodeck where he just have had a heavy workout, when he almost bumped into his commanding officer, Captain Antonia Castro.

- Sorry, Korg. I didn't see you - Said the Captain, excusing herself

- I should have paid more attention, Tony. -

- Well, at least I can talk with you about something that is worrying me. -

- I'm going to my quarters, so if you want to walk with me. - As they proceeded through the corridor, he asked - What is the matter that is worrying you? -

- Khalev. He doesn't want to be your replacement, even temporarily. -

- Why? He is a goddamned good officer. -

- He says that he is not ready for command. The problem is that Amia backs him and I have agreed reluctantly that he is not captaincy material... yet. -

- So who are you going to select? -

- I don't have any idea, Korg. If I don't provide Starfleet Command with a viable candidate, we are going to have to nurse the useless son of some admiral or politician. -

- Nepotism in Starfleet? Hold the presses!. - said Korg, sarcastically.

- Yes, great news. - then her smirking face become serious, almost sad. - Changing the subject, I have approved K'aylha as Wing Commander of our fighter squadron. -

- Thanks, Tony. That means a lot for me. -

- I realized that we must move on. We had our moment, but some things just can't be. -

Korg didn't know what to say, he hadn't expected her to admit, so frankly than their relationship was impossible. Then, suddenly, the ship rocked and they fell. Instinctively Korg had tried to protect Tony embracing her, so they ended together on the ground, their faces almost touching, and their eyes meeting.  
Slowly, their faces neared each other, when their lips where about to meet the commbadge chirped. That seemed to get them back to reality. Tony pressed her commbadge as they started to get back on their feet.

- Captain, we have come out of warp! - said the voice of Karl Grünning, the OPS officer.

- Who is in charge of the bridge? - asked Korg to Tony.

- Khalev, although I don't think this is his fault. - said Tony looking at a viewport, where they could see a pulsating light located very close to the Corsair.

_Captain's log. _

_Stardate 50975.1 _

In the course of a routine patrol of the Romulan Neutral Zone, we were pulled out of warp by some kind of space anomaly. We are analyzing the phenomenon to determine its nature.

They were now in the conference room adjacent to the bridge. Tony was trying to not think that Korg and her had almost kissed an hour ago focusing on the job at hand. She looked at the half-Klingon Commander, trying to know what he was thinking, but his expression was unreadable, and she had sworn a long time ago that she wouldn't intrude on anyone's mind without permission.

Counselor Amia Darla was intrigued by the body language of Captain Castro and Commander Ramirez. Something had happened between them. They were still attracted to each other, that was obvious even without her empathic powers, but she thought that they had managed to put that behind them. She automatically contained her impulse to ask them directly. "The humans are a lot more repressed than us, Deltans." she thought, for the umpteenth time since she had become counselor of the Corsair, more than six years ago. The sudden entrance of Lieutenant Commander Khalev, the Andorian science officer of the ship interrupted her thoughts.

- Mr. Khalev, can you shed some light on this subject? - said the captain, pointing to the pulsating light that was visible through the windows in the conference room, while Khalev was sitting.

- It's a multilayered subspace bubble, not unlike our warp fields. I think that the anomaly was in a latent state until we passed near at warp, and our warp field activated it. - said Khalev - And we can't leave. -

- Why? - asked Commander Ramirez.

- If we try to go to warp, the anomaly will follow us, ripping the space-time fabric in the process. The anomaly will dissipate by itself in a year. -

- We can't wait that long!. - said Commander Ramirez.

- Mr. Khalev, can we cancel the anomaly with a subspace pulse? -

- I was going to suggest that option, captain. But we must do it in the next eight hours. - seeing the blank expression on everyone's faces, he elaborated. - The anomaly was moving when our warp field impacted on it, and now it's linked to our warp nacelles, but it's as if the anomaly was trying to break free. I estimate that in eight hours it would break free, starting to rip the space-time fabric. -

- Moving under its own power? How is that possible? - asked Commander Ramirez.

- Khalev, at what speed it was moving? And how do you know that? -

- I revised our sensor logs previous to the incident. There was some faint indications of the presence of the anomaly, but you can see them only if you know what you were searching for. And answering your first question, captain, the anomaly was moving at warp 1. -

- Khalev, could a warp drive overload had generated the anomaly?. -

- Theoretically it is possible...-

- Captain, even the earliest warp drive models have enough safeguards to avoid that kind of overload. - said commander Sokal, the vulcan chief engineer.

- If it's the ship that I'm thinking, it wasn't an accident, it was a sabotage. - and turning to Khalev, she asked. - Compensating for the galactic rotation and movement, and the gravitational pull of the nearby stars, can you calculate the position of the anomaly on stardate 9591.2? -

- I'll need some time, captain. I haven't a computer for brain like the vulcans. No offense, Sokal. - said Khalev, while using a PADD to access the main computer and introduce the parameters.

- One moment, are you referring to the Pioneer? - asked Korg.

- Yes, Korg, the Pioneer. You have read Chekov's book about the incident. -

- Yes, although I never understood how both of you managed to flee the ship. The explanation that he gave in the book was... contrived, to say the least. -

- It was a contrived explanation, because it was false. I asked Pavel to silence some facts. - said Tony - To be totally honest, his escape from the Pioneer was almost as he said. It was my escape that was the lie. -

- The Kolharis system, captain. -

- Ah, yes. Well, it's the Pioneer then. We were in the Kolharis system when all happened. -

- What happened, captain? - said Lieutenant Commander Brigitte Ta-Bej, the half-Sajin scurity chief. - If there is some threat to the Corsair I would like to know it. -

- No, the old ship is harmless, Brigitte. I suppose that I have to start the story from the beginning. - said the captain - As you know, eighty-two years ago, after the explosion of the Praxis moon, Chancellor Gorkon of the Klingon Empire made peace overtures to the Federation. High echelons of both Starfleet and the Klingon military conspired to keep the status quo, but Captain Kirk managed to thwart their plans. Two years later, in the christening of the Enterprise-B Kirk was sucked by the Nexus ribbon and believed dead. -

- Yes, we all know the story. -

- I was telling it only to put you in perspective. In the funeral, the old crew of the Enterprise, and a few others, myself included, delivered a posthumous eulogy of Jim Kirk... -

_**Riverside, Iowa. 2293.**_

-... he died as he lived, making a difference, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, although this time, he couldn't save himself. Goodbye, Jim, wherever you are now. - ended Lieutenant Commander Antonia Castro and left the podium.

She was surprised to see the nest speaker: Colonel Kor, Kirk's old enemy. A few old enemies of Kirk had been accepted at the ceremony, only after lengthy and tense conversations between Starfleet Command and the Klingon High Command.

- What are you doing, Colonel? - whispered Tony when they meet at the base of the posium.

- I have something to say also, Commander. - and went up the stairs.

She sat where she had been, next to Chekov. She looked around for the first time, and was surprised to see John Harriman in one of the last rows of seats. She knew that he had been "advised" to stay out of the ceremony. Several old friends of Kirk were making him responsible for his death. A ridiculous idea, in her opinion. If somebody was to blame, it was the guy that had ordered the Enterprise to be christened so prematurely...

When Kor started to speak, Tony turned her attention to the podium. Kor started speaking of how, almost thirty years ago, in Organia, he had been impressed by the courage and determination of a young human captain, James T. Kirk. He resumed the Delta Triangle incident in a few words, and told the audience how, six years ago, they met again, in the Eternity incident. Tony remembered well the incident, as she had just been assigned to the Enterprise-A as Sulu's replacement at the Conn. Kor and Jim had been forced to work together in order to survive, and further encounters had developed the grudging mutual admiration that dated back from the Organian incident into something similar to friendship. Tony made a sad smile, because Kor was sparing the audience of the Leconte affair, and the K'sruk II battle, when Kirk had let his anti-Klingon bias cloud his judgement.

After Kor finished, only a few Starfleet top brass remained. After that, they proceeded to lower the empty coffin into the tomb, placed besides the tombs of the rest of Kirk's family, his brother, his sister-in-law, his father and his mother. While the coffin was being slowly lowered he heard somebody humming a familiar melody. She lasted a moment to locate the source, because it was Spock who was humming "Amazing Grace"...

**_USS Corsair. NCC-1721-C. 2373_**

- I have met Ambassador Spock several times over the years, Captain. And he had a strange fascination for that Terran song. - interrupted Sokal.

- It's something that goes back to the original Enterprise first five-year mission under Kirk, from what Spock told me. Some strange incident with one of the A.P.E.s that seem to appear every time that a Starfleet ship goes to deep space. -

- A.P.E.s? - asked Sokal.

- Oh, I forgot that you didn't pass through Starfleet Academy. A.P.E. is Starfleet Academy slang, an acronym for All Powerful Entity. But we are digressing. After the funeral, when I was about to return to Starfleet Headquarters, Scotty came to talk to me... -

_**Riverside, Iowa. 2293.**_

- ...as you see, the captain could have been sucked by the ribbon. And just now he could be in that Nexus thing. -

- Scotty, just now the ribbon is running toward the Great Barrier. Even at maximum warp with a Excelsior-class starship, we couldn't reach it. And you know that the intense gravimetric distortions can produce hallucina... -

Her words were interrupted by the sound of a very heated verbal exchange. She turned her head and was surprised to see Chekov, being restrained by Sulu, shouting names at Harriman. Before anyone could do anything, Chekov managed to break free from Sulu's grasp and hit Harriman.

_To Be Continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

****

Shadow of the Past

__

by Antonio Cabañas

Chapter 2

****

Disclaimer: Star Trek in all its incarnations and all related characters are property of Paramount Pictures. Tony Castro and the USS Corsair were created by me, other adventures of her can be found in my site http/ borg31de777yahoo.es.

****

Spoilers: Star Trek VI, Star Trek: Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, and Deep Space Nine to season 5.

****

Author Note: some parts of this story are inspired by "Chekov's Enterprise", a serial story that I read in the net some years ago. I don't remember the name of the author, but that story was one of the reasons why I started to write fanfic.

I wish to thank my beta-reader Carycomix for his help and support

****

Answer to Reviewers: Please, review!

****

Summary: An space anomaly prompts captain Tony Castro of the USS Corsair to tell a story of the past.

__

USS Corsair. NCC-1721-C. In patrol of the Romulan Neutral Zone. Year 2373.

"Commander Chekov hit Captain Harriman?" Asked Korg incredulously.

"Pavel wasn't entirely sober when he attended to the funeral of Captain Kirk. Although, later he came to regret the vodka that he drank that day," said captain Castro. "Anyway, I ran toward them trying to stop Pavel, but Admiral Morton was faster..."

__

Riverside. Iowa. Year 2293.

"Commander Chekov, if you hit Captain Harriman one more time..."

He didn't end the sentence, but the threatening tone in his voice was so evident that Chekov, still angry toward Harriman, inhaled deeply and stepped back.

"Good." said the admiral. "I understand that you have lost a good friend, but that's no reason for attacking a superior officer. This action will be a stain in your service record"

Meanwhile, Tony had been helping Harriman to get back on his feet. Just when he had managed to stood again, Admiral Morton turned to face him.

"Captain Harriman, until the review board deliver their conclusions, you are temporarily relieved of the command of the USS Enterprise. In the meanwhile, Captain Scott...," he looked to the old engineer, who had reached them."... you will oversee the repairs and the installing of the remaining systems aboard the ship. Commander Chekov and Lieutenant Commander Castro will assist you."

"Aye, sir."said Scotty.

"Very well. I want the five of you...," he made a gesture encompassing Scotty, Sulu, Chekov, Tony and Harriman"..., Captain Spock, Commander Uhura and Doctor McCoy in my office tomorrow." Without leaving time for the others officer to speak, he produced a communicator, flipped it open and said: "Morton to Spacedock, one to beam up." And dissapeared in a transporter beam.

"John, don't..."

"No, Tony, Commander Chekov is right. I'm a poor excuse for a Starfleet Captain. Now, if you excuse me, I have some things to pack." And repeated the gesture that Morton had done a moment before."Harriman to Enterprise, one to beam up."

Tony turned to Pavel.

"Do you have something to say?" said Tony, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Before or after the scolding that you are about to give me?"answered Pavel, clearly a bit more calmed now.

Tony almost smiled

"Good, I see that you still have your sense of humor." Said Tony drily. "Look, I served under John Harriman in the Agincourt, when he was the first officer. And he is a pretty good officer, although maybe a bit too green to become the commanding officer of Starfleet's flagship. But if you want to blame somebody for Jim's death, you should blame the...," she repressed the profanity that had come to her lips "... damned cretin that ordered the christening of the Enterprise so ahead of schedule."

"Tony, Hikaru." said Spock behind them "I want to have some words with you."

While they went to talk the Vulcan, Tony turned to Chekov one last time and said:

"If I was you, I would go to apologize to Captain Harriman as soon as possible."

__

USS Corsair. Year 2373

"Captain, I suppose that that was the reason for Captain Scott's confused state when he was rescued by the Enterprise-D a few years ago. "

"Precisely. He hadn't accepted Jim's death. We didn't know that he was right. His instincts hadn't fooled him. If we had listened to him... But we can't change the past." She sighed and continued "Well, I was talking of the fight between Harriman and Pavel..."

__

Captain's quarters. Enterprise-B, Earth's orbit, Year 2293.

John Harriman had almost finished packing his few personal effects. Only two things remained, a picture of the crew of the USS Agincourt, and his personal weapon. He gazed at the picture, when he was simply the first officer of a Constitution-class starship, and had the experience of Commodore Wilkins to rely upon, instead of being the captain of Starfleet new flagship, and had the eyes of the entire Federation upon him. The picture was taken just before the very eventful first voyage of the ship after the Commodore took command, with the senior officers that had survived the destruction of the old Agincourt in the bridge of the new ship: Sam Grant, Tony Castro, Wong Tsen Han, T'Bel, himself, and larger than life, the Commodore. He had been proud of serving under the Commodore, knowing that he hadn't chosen him for his family connections. Unfortunately, his family connection had been the reason for being offered the post of captain of the Enterprise. When the date of the launching had been moved a month earlier of the original date, he only thought of the opportunity to prove himself, without even considering the dangers of going to space with a half-finished ship.

'And on the maiden voyage I lose a living legend of Starfleet...' he thought ' Commander Chekov is right. I'm not fit to be a Starfleet Officer.'

He took his personal phaser and placed the cannon under his chin. He heard steps in the corridor, but he wasn't worried. Nobody could stop what was about to happen.

__

In front of Enterprise-B captain's quarters.

Pavel Chekov had just arrived at the doors of the captain quarters, and all the way there had been mentally rehearsing what he was going to tell him. He had been delayed because there was a turbolift car jammed between two decks. But everything vanished from his mind when he heard a familiar sound in the other side of the door. He shouted an expletive and tried to open the door, that seemed to be blocked. The ship's alarms began to sound and security officers ran toward the door.

"What had happened, commander?" asked an ensign dressed with the armor vest over the uniform

"I don't know, kid. But I have heard a phaser being fired on the maximum setting in the captain's quarters."

When the security officers overrode the door lock, all that they saw was a phaser on the floor and some burns on the bed. Harriman was nowhere to be seen.

__

USS Corsair. Year 2373.

"Are you saying that captain Harriman killed himself?" said Khalev. "But..."

"Who is telling the story, Khalev?" answered the captain while Commander Ramirez looked at the Andorian navigator with the hint of a smile on his lips. "Pavel was speaking with the acting security officer of the Enterprise-B..."

__

USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-B. Year 2293.

"Captain Harriman was alone all the time in his quarters according to the internal sensors, sir." said the security officer of the Enterprise-B.

Before he could reply, he heard somebody running through the corridor. He looked there and he could see Lt. Commander Castro coming to them.

"Pavel! What has happened?"

"Harriman killed himself." Said Pavel. "If that turbocar hadn't been jammed..."

"That was me. I had come to talk with John." Said Tony, almost crying. "Oh, my god! It's my fault!"

"No, Tony, it's mine. If I hadn't said those things to captain Harriman..." said Pavel "I didn't know..."

"I should have known. He was mever sure of himself, being under the shadow of his father." Said Tony.

__

San Francisco. Starfleet Headquarters. One hour later.

Two Starfleet flag officers were discussing the last events.

"The death of Harriman is unexpected, to say the least." Said one.

"In reality this whole situation falls under that category. It was unexpected that Kirk would save the ship. According to the data available the energy ribbon destroyed every ship that came close to it." Answered the other, and added "Damned overgrown boy-scout!"

"If you remember our previous reunion, I expressed my reserved about your plan." Said the other drily. "Well, at least Kirk is dead, and of his people, only that intolerable half-breed knows something about our plans."

"What are you going to do about them?"

"Tomorrow they have a meeting with the Starfleet Commander in Chief, where they will learn of their new missions. They will be disposed of when our plan comes to fruition."

"Who is going to be the new captain of the Enterprise? Sure that you aren't thinking of giving her command to Saavik?"

"You know, perfectly well, my opinion about all those half-breeds. No, I have the perfect idiot for the job. And this time we won't need those stinking barbarians."

__

Starfleet Commander in Chief office. Next day.

"The suicide of captain Harriman has created a difficult situation. My intention was to keep him in command of the Enterprise, barring a contrary recomendation from the review board." Explained Admiral Morton, the new Starfleet Commander in Chief. "Unfortunately there is are qualified officers waiting for a command, so, Commander Chekov, you are hereby promoted to full captain rank, conditional to your aceptance of the command of the USS Enterprise. Do you accept?"

Chekov was astounded, and full five seconds passed before he answered.

"Da...Yes. But, why haven't you offered the post to Captain Spock?"

Morton nodded to Spock, who started to elaborate.

"Mr. Chekov, it's true that I have commanded the starship Enterprise in the past, but I have never had command ambitions, as I said yesterday to Adamiral Morton when he contacted me, and I have diplomatic duties in QonoS' in the next few months."

"That's part of the reason why you are here, captain. Chancellor Azetbur will visit Earth next month..."

"I know, a part of my duties will be to prepare that visit."

"Good, then I don't have to explain some things to you. Doctor McCoy, for almost two years you have been asking to open a medical exchange program with the Klingons, and Commander Uhura, you have been working on bettering your klingonese. Well, this is your opportunity. You will accompany Captain Spock to QonoS'."

"Eh...thanks."

Mortin continued, almost without breathing.

"Chancellor Azetbur will bring something with her. She intends to donate two old klingon cruisers, D5 and D6 classes, and an old Starfleet ship that they captured 40 years ago, the USS Pioneer, to the Starfleet Museum." He smiled "Apparently they found it in one of their depots, where she had been sitting for years after being stripped of everything valuable for their military." His face went serious again. "I want the Excelsior and the Enterprise providing escort for the Klingon top brass. Captain Sulu?"

"The Excelsior will be ready on time."

"Good. Captain Scott, about the Enterprise?"

"It's gonna bein' difficult, admiral. The lass had a severe beating, I'm not familiarized with the new systems..."

The familiar tirade brought smiles to the faces of the former crewmates of the old engineer.

"Mr. Scott..."

The scottish engineer smiled.

"You dinna needed to ask, Admiral. The lass will be ready on time, even if I have to push her myself out of drydock."

"Very well, Captain Scott." She paused and looked to Antonia Castro. "Commander Castro, you are appointed as the new science officer of the USS Enterprise, and until Commander Saavik come back from her leave on Vulcan, acting first officer. Does anybody want to add something?"

"Admiral, who is going to be the Chief Medical Officer of the Enterprise?" asked McCoy.

"That matter is already settled. Any more questions? No? You are dismissed."

When everybody left the roomy office, Admiral Morton turned toward the window and rubbed his temples, saying:

"Well, it's done. The game's afoot."

****

TO BE CONTINUED…


	3. Chapter 3

Shadow of the Past

by Antonio Cabañas

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Star Trek in all its incarnations and all related characters are property of Paramount Pictures. Tony Castro and the USS Corsair were created by me, other adventures of her can be found in my Star Trek VI, Star Trek: Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, and Deep Space Nine to season 5. Other adventures of her can be found in my site, whose address in in my profile.

My E-mail address is: borg31de777yahoo.es.

Author Note: some parts of this story are inspired by "Chekov's Enterprise", a serial story that I read in the net some years ago. I don't remember the name of the author, but that story was one of the reasons why I started to write fanfic.

I wish to thank my beta-reader Carycomix for his help and support.

**Answer to Reviewers: **

_Superfan: _You aren't being unnecesarily paranoid, as you can read in this chapter, although Admiral's Morton role isn't exactly what you are thinking.

**Summary: An space anomaly prompts captain Tony Castro of the USS Corsair to tell a story of the past.**

_USS Corsair. NCC-1721-C. In patrol of the Romulan Neutral Zone. Year 2373_

"I didn't know that you served in the Enterprise-B, captain." said Commander Ta-Bej.

"I was posted there only for a brief period of time, Brigitte. When the crisis subsided I became the first officer of the Agincourt under Captain Donner." explained captain Castro.

"But there is one thing that I don't understand, captain." said Sokal while he stroke his goatee.

"Only one, Sokal?" said Tony, smiling, although she had a pretty good idea of what the Vulcan engineer was about to ask..

"You have said that Captain Harriman killed himself, but…"

"Read the subtext, Sokal." answered Tony, slightly exasperated. "We'll come to explain that eventually."

Sokal nodded, and Tony continued:

"Later that morning, Spock had invited several of us to the Vulcan Embassy to a reception in honor of his father, Ambassador Sarek…"

Vulcan Embassy Complex, Paris. Year 2293

"How can a few grams of gold seem so heavy?" said Chekov to Tony in a corner of the room, pointing to his new rank insignia.

"Nerves." answered Tony. "Relax, Pavel. You'll do fine. And please, cease to tug at your neckline, you're going to rip it off. "

"Yes, mom." answered Pavel while he removed his hand from the neck of the sweater "You know, each time that we meet you seem more confident than before. In fact, you are beginning to behave like your future self."

"Please, I don't intend to to become a captain in the foreseeable future. I'll leave Starfleet in a few years, you know, when I'm promoted to full commander."

"Didn't you say the same thing about being promoted to Lieutenant Commander?."

"The difference is that this time I mean it." Said Tony trying to sound confident.

"You are fooling yourself, Tony." said Pavel, obviously not fooled "I have always known that my destiny is to serve all my days, as is yours. Whatever our differences, we are the same in this."

"That's pure bull…"

"Captain Chekov, Commander Castro." somebody said, interrupting them.

When they turned, they saw a tall fair-skinned man with raven-black hair clad in a civilian outfit.

"And you are…?" asked Chekov, while Tony seemed to recognized him.

"Liam O'Connor. If you follow me, a mutual friend want to talk to us." said the man

They went through a side corridor, in one of the areas of the complex where they hadn't been before.

"Long time no see, A... Liam." said Tony

"You can say that, Tony." answered Liam

"I see that you know each other." asked Pavel, interested in the exchange

"Long story." said both Liam and Tony at the same time.

Liam opened a door and they entered into a small conference room. They saw that there was several others already there: Spock, Sulu, McCoy, Uhura, Rand and Chapel.

"Sit down, please." said Spock. "We have several things to discuss, before we embark on our respective missions."

"Like what?" asked Pavel while he was sitting.

"Yesterday, before the funeral, Mr. O'Connor gave me some information related to some facts that I was going to discuss with Captain Kirk after the christening of the Enterprise." he paused for a moment and continued. "Together

with other information that I have gleaned from my contacts in Starfleet, there is only one possible conclussion: the events surrounding the christening of the Enterprise-B were manipulated with the express purpose of destroying the ship."

USS Corsair. NCC-1721-C. In patrol of the Romulan Neutral Zone. Year 2373

"But… but… but…" said Komarov.

"Yes, not the nice Starfleet that we know. You have to keep in mind that those were different times. Starfleet was more aggressive and there were still a lot of murky corners all over the organization, instead of having all the murky corners in a section." explained Tony. "Two years before, a group of Starfleet officers conspired with Klingon generals and a Romulan faction to start a war when finally the peace seemed possible. Not too long after that, another admiral died trying again to start a war. Nobody knew how many conspirators were still in the loose."

"Yes, I know. My father had to leave Starfleet for some time because of his relationship with my mother. It was only after the anti-Klingon feeling in Starfleet had subsided somewhat when he went back." said Commander Ramirez.

"In fact the wedding was a few days later, if I remember correctly. They had bonded in the Klingon way in the final mission of the original Corsair." said Tony "Anyway, after the commotion subsided, Spock started to explain…"

Vulcan Embassy Complex, Paris. Year 2293

"A week before the christening of the Enterprise-B, before I parted to a diplomatic mission, Captain Kirk contacted me. Apparently he had spent the last weeks investigating the disappearance of some archeological findings made by Dr.

Lester in Camus II."

"But when was that madwoman released from Elba II?" said McCoy, outraged.

"Dr. Lester was released from Elba II fifteen years ago, and she was allowed to return to Camus II to continue the excavation." said Spock. "The missing artifacts were, according to Dr. Lester, pieces of a crystalline supercomputer, and had been sent to the Daystrom Institute for study. But they had, somehow, disappeared in transit. His investigation unscovered that the pieces had been transferred from the transport that was carrying them to a private transport with

markings of the Daystrom Institute. But that ship…"

"Let me guess, the Institute had never heard of that ship." said Rand.

"Exactly, Lieutenant. Captain Kirk's investigations gave him the name of the pilot of that vessel, a former Starfleet Intelligence operative called Leon Klimovsky."

"Him? That stinking traitor?"

"Do you know him, Hikaru." asked Pavel.

"One of my first missions after taking command of the Excelsior was to retrieve a Starfleet Intelligence operative who had infiltrated into the Orion Syndicate, Klimovsky. What we discovered was that he was in reality working for the Syndicate." explained Sulu "Last time that I heard from him he was still on Rigel XII."

"Apparently he facilitated contacts between high echelons of the Klingon military and Starfleet after the Praxis explosion…" elaborated Spock.

"The Cartwright conspiracy." guessed McCoy

"Precisely. And disappeared shortly afterwards." confirmed Spock.

"Morton." said Sulu.

"What are you saying?" asked Spock.

"Admiral Morton's dislike for the Klingons is well known, and he was the supervisor of Klimovsky in SFI."

"An attractive hypothesis, Hikaru, but I disagree. Admiral Morton may not like the Klingons but his name has never been mentioned in relation to the conspiracy." said Spock

"Androvar Drake's name was also never mentioned in that regard, until he exposed himself as one of the organizers, and he was the head of Starfleet Intelligence when Morton worked there." countered McCoy.

"He is not the only one, and several members of the Leconte clan had been named in relation to several changes of orders in the hours before the christening of the Enterprise-B."

That brought silence to the room. The Starfleet people in the room remembered Theseus Leconte, the deranged Starfleet captain who had tried to destroy Organia using a crude protomatter device, so there was no obstacle to an all-out war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. He had been stopped with the collaboration of Kirk, Sulu, Kor and Kang, although the anti-Klingon bias of Captain Kirk had almost cost them the victory. The Leconte were a family that had been on Starfleet since the very beginning, and the living members had been among the most vocal opposition to the peace with the Klingons.

"If I may have add something..." said Liam O'Connor.

"Indeed, Mr. O'Connor."

"Captain Kirk contacted me just after speaking with Captain Spock. He had the feeling that the people that had stolen the artifacts had him under surveillance, and wanted me to act as bodyguard for Dr. Lester. Unfortunately, when I got

to Camus II, Dr. Lester had suffered an 'accident'. It was the same day of the Enterprise-B christening." said O'Connor "I have never believed in coincidences, so I kept a low profile until I could contact Captain Spock yesterday."

"How did you know Jim?"

"Through common acquaintances, Dr.McCoy. In the past I have worked with an organization with which Captain Kirk had some contact."

That gained him odd looks from the Starfleet officers gathered there.

"No, I don't work for any of the Starfleet sections that you're familiar with. Five years ago the Enterprise and the Excelsior were accidentally thrown back in time…"

"Ah, you have worked with the Wat…" said McCoy

"Exactly, Doctor. Just now they have their hands full, so I'm the only person that they have managed to spare." said O'Connor.

"And what exactly is keeping…?" wanted to know the Doctor.

"Not now, doctor." said Spock

"Yes, Spock, when Liam interrupted, you were telling us that the Leconte seemed to be involved in several changes of orders in the hours before the christening of the Enterprise-B." said Tony

"Yes, the Deputy Chief of Operation Vice Admiral Achilles Papadopoulos, who is Theseus Leconte's uncle, ordered several ships whose normal position would have allowed them to aid the Lakul and the Robert Fox, to join the wargame Gathering Storm in the Barnard Star…" explained Spck.

"Now that you mention it, the Potemkin, the Essex and the Santa María joined us at the last moment." Said Sulu, pensively.

"And Admiral Morton's aide, Commander Arianne Leconte…" said Rand.

"Sister of Theseus." explained Spock.

"…was the one who personally alerted us of the crisis with the ribbon." completed Rand.

"So, you are saying that Papadopoulos, with help from members of the Leconte family, conspired to have the Enterprise-B destroyed so they could kill Jim." said Chekov.

"Yes, that's the gist of the matter. But there is more. I assume that you are aware that Chancellor Azetbur is going to visit Earth next month." Everybody nodded, and Spock continued with his exposition. "A person that I know with

contacts in Starfleet Intelligence believes that the remains of the Cartwright conspiracy are going to strike."

****

TO BE CONTINUED…


End file.
